The Ranger's Son
by Amber View
Summary: Three Ranger's are murdered in a week. It's up to Amber View and Phileas Picarrd to find out who murdered them. As they go along with their assigned mission, they are joined by a number of different people with different backstories.
1. Companion

A green cloaked figure walked into a tavern, looking around, it walked to a back table near the fire pit and sat down quietly. The hood was raised but from the sign of long dark brown hair, this newcomer was a woman.

The tavern keeper walked towards the hooded woman and said in a gruff voice, "What would you like today, ma'am?"

She looked up at him and shook her head, "Official Ranger business I am afraid, Luke" She flicked back her hood and grinned darkly, which was pretty dark with the help of her deep brown eyes and scar across her mouth.

Luke's deep set eyes widened as he slightly took a step back and muttered quietly, obviously startled, "By the crown, a king's Ranger," He took a seat across from the ranger and coughed slightly as he continued, "I assume you are here of the business of your fellow ranger… found dead in the moat?"

She nodded gravely, still disturbed by the news. This was the third Ranger death in a week. Something strange was going on, and she was going to find out what. She cleared her throat before replying, "Yes, I was hoping you would have any thoughts on how Travis Picarrd," she hesitated on what she said next, " _Died._ "

Luke nodded slowly as he drummed his fingers against the wooden table "Not many thoughts about Rangers in general … miss?" He hesitated on what to call her.

The woman chuckled lightly, "Ranger Amber or just Amber would do just fine." She noted as she waved a hand to passing by lad and pressed two gold coins into his open palm and whispered quietly to him. Then with a nod the boy ran off, out of the tavern, towards an Inn.

Luke raised a curious eyebrow as he leaned back in his seat, "What was that about?" He knew the boy and didn't know why he would associate with a Ranger.

Amber just smiled, "The lad can help me with something." She said it with an even and dark tone, but, simply, the boy was just going to check her into the local Inn, and for a good pay of two gold coins.

She looked around and noted what the people looked like along with the way they talked and acted. Anyone of them could have killed Travis, and she was going to find out who had done it.

She was suddenly surprised when, in the left corner of the tavern, what looked and sounded like a fight broke out.

Two men, one, a tall, chainmail clad man with a short brown beard and a sword at his belt and the other, a short man wearing a black cloak with a bow strung over his back. The taller of the two men was being lifted up by the smaller man, quite a surprise for the men around them; a strong, sturdy, tall man, being lifted by a short cloaked man.

Amber chuckled lightly as she recognized the smaller of the two men and walked over casually with a remark, "Damon, you know, you don't have to terrorize everyone just because you're a Ranger."

The smaller of the men slowly put the taller man down with a shove out the door and a smirk at Amber, "Ah, Amber, why don't you be a dear and help me with these ruffians?"

She just looked at the men, who, she now noticed to be Skandians, or also known as Sea Wolves.

The taller man growled but stomped out of the tavern, followed by three other Skandians.

Amber glared at Damon, obviously drunk as he staggered towards a chair and fell to the ground, tripping on his cloak. She let out a growl as she stooped to heave him up as she with the help of Luke, carried the unconscious Ranger to a covered caravan behind two brown horses.

Amber tossed Luke two gold pieces as she rode off, towards the thickest part of the forest surrounding the small town.

It was about a twenty minutes ride until she came upon a small log cabin, about three windows, a lean-to, and a bit of smoke coming out of the red stone chimney. A red-velvet colored horse stood under the lean-to.

Amber let out a small groan as she jumped off of one of the horses and quickly flipped around and dragged the unconscious Ranger out of the back of the oak wood caravan and tossed him over a shoulder as she struggled to get him inside the old cabin.

As Amber neared the small cabin, a tall man walked out of the front door, he had curly, light brown hair, one green and one blue eye and a scar across his green eye, most likely from a throwing or Saxe knife, by the angle of the scar. He looked to Amber and nodded as he stepped forward and helped hold up Damon, "Sorry 'bout him, he's lost his touch and has become a drunkard." He said mostly to himself, a sense of humor masked by graveness.

Amber raised an amused eyebrow at him as they both carried Damon inside and laid him in a simple, handmade chair by a round table, which had a fresh, steaming hot pot of coffee sitting on it. As they set the older man down, Amber took a few moments to inspect this Ranger's cabin.

In a back corner was a kitchen with a fridge, stove and a pot with multicolored flowers sitting on the windowsill above the sink. Across from the kitchen was the small table at which they were standing. There was a short hall with two rooms, the main bedroom for the Ranger, then a second for the Ranger's apprentice.

The man who had helped her now looked to her and smiled brightly, "I'm Phileas Picarrd, pleasure to meet you… Ms. Amber View, I presume." His voice was happy and very cheerful but, it had an edge of suspicion, but then again, all Rangers were taught to be skeptical.

Amber nodded, "Aye, and you must be Travis's son." She had heard about the Ranger's son, who was trained since the age of seven. Now at the age of twenty-five, he was a rouge Ranger without a fief but always accepted missions given to him. The death of his father hit him hard, but he didn't let his emotions affect him as he kept to his rules.

Amber looked at him and tilted her head lightly, this was the man that she had to share a mission on, which could take up to several months to complete. This would be _very_ interesting. She now turned back to him with a small smirk, "So, you must know why I am here if you already know my name."

He replied with a nod towards a pile of papers in the kitchen counter, "Yes, I was told you were going to come to investigate my father's murder as well as those of the other Rangers. Quite normal if you ask me," he said casually, but was obviously hiding something as he continued, "Who would want to kill a Ranger?"

 _Hmm, I don't know, let me think. Maybe the Scotti or Hibernians!_ Amber thought to herself, biting her tongue from letting out the sharp remark, "Several people would have a reason to kill one of us. Maybe we ruined their plans, killed their family, anything would give them a reason to kill us." Her temper was rising as her patience was slowly fading.

Phileas chuckled as a grin came upon his face as he heard the slightly edge in Amber's voice, "No reason to be so hot-tempered." His voice was full of sarcasm, maybe not the best idea for him, as the next moment he was pinned against the wall with a knife to his throat.

In a split second, Amber had drawn her Saxe knife, lunged across the room and put her knife against his throat with an emotionless expression on her face, "Next time to act like that, I swear I will put you in your place. You may be a Ranger by blood, but I have no respect for you. Not until you show your worth," She growled as she stepped back, leaving Phileas looking quite startled and afraid to move. Amber smirked as she headed out of the door with a last comment, "I'll be at the Inn once you are ready to leave." With that she closed the door behind her and headed towards the village.


	2. Departure

The next morning, Amber was sitting in her room at the Inn. The sun was shining through her open widows as she  
sipped on a cup of hot, fresh coffee that she had made at sunrise.

A few papers were scattered on the table as she reviewed the murder files of the dead Rangers. Two of the  
murders were made to look like suicides. One was hanged and the other was found poisoned by his own glass of  
wine.

Amber drummed her fingers along the pine table with a small sigh until she heard the clashing of knives. But it was different, they were controlled attacks. She stood up and looked out of her open window and the sight which she saw made her smile.

In the courtyard stood Damon with his Saxe knife drawn, facing a tall girl with medium length amber-orange hair. She had a long scar across her face and blue-green eyes. She was wearing a brown turtle-neck shirt under a yellow-green jacket with black trim and silver buttons. Across her chest was also a double scabbard which held throwing knives and a Saxe knife which she was holding, as well as a Re-curve bow slung across her back.

Amber chuckled lightly. It would seem that her apprentice, Sandra Greenwood had followed her; quite amazing since her mentor had put several other Rangers to keep an eye on her. She now shook her head in amazement, it would seem that Damon was teaching her; well he'll be in for a surprise once he gets to know what Sandra was really like.

Down in the courtyard, Damon was circling around Sandra with a dark smile on his face, "Sandra Greenwood, a fourth year apprentice. Humph, you're a pathetic excuse for a Ranger." He smirked as he stepped closer to the tall girl.

Sandra narrowed her eyes at his harsh words. She had heard those words before by several knights in training and also by other Rangers because she was only the fourth female Ranger to ever go through training. Those words had hurt her years ago; now, they were something to make her work harder, to make her want to show how she could really fight.

She readied her knife and took a step back as she replied, "'Pathetic excuse for a Ranger'? At least I don't drink until I pick fights with Sea Wolves and have to be taken back to my cabin." She had been thinking for a quite a while of a comment to which hurt the man's pride.

Damon couldn't think of a reply, so he huffed and quickly sheathed his knife. Once he had done so, he straightened and smiled, "Good one, I'll make a Ranger of you yet," He walked to her and laid a hand on her shoulder with an encouraging smile, "I'll show you a few of my tricks once we get this mission started." With that he and Sandra headed into the Tavern looking like a father and daughter out for a day in the village.

Phileas looked around the yard of the Ranger's Cabin. This would be the last time for several months that he saw his home. Until he returned he would be sleeping on the cold, hard ground, probably eating off dried rations and cold coffee in the mornings. He could already feel the soreness which he would endure from hours upon horse of horse back on the journey.

His gaze shifted to castle view in the distance, quite a beautiful sight with the sun setting in the evenings. With a grunt of discontent he walked over to his horse and jumped up in one swift motion as he laid his long-bow across his lap and with a small whisper, he and his horse started off towards the village to meet up with Amber and Damon.

The small group of four Rangers departed from the small village around mid-day. Amber and Phileas rode in the front as Damon and Sandra trailed behind.

Amber let out a content sigh as she looked at Phileas and couldn't hold back a small laugh which made Phileas look to her with an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"W-what do you find so amusing?"

Amber kept a straight face as she replied. "Oh, I don't find anything amusing, just the fact that you didn't even ask where Sandra came from and why she and Damon seem to get along so well."

At that point Damon decided to join in the conversation, "Oh like how Sandra is my daughter and as are spending time catching up since I haven't seen her since she was a wee lass? Yeah, not surprising or amusing at all." He also had the skill of keeping a straight face.

Sandra laughed softly as she commented. "I realized something Phileas; you're the only Ranger here who does not drink coffee. Well, that ought to make you feel like a complete idiot."

The three burst into laughter as their horses also seemed to join in, but Phileas just snorted as he rode ahead, clearing his head.

Soon after the trio's laughter died down, Phileas rejoined the group and set on along their journey.

At about sunset the group stopped on the side of the road under a small grove of trees along the side of a small creek. Damon and Sandra immediately started working on supper as Amber and Phileas set up the tents.

Soon the smell of an herbal and beef stew made its way around the site until it had all four Rangers sitting in a circleeating the stew with great appreciation. As soon as the Rangers sat, all but Phileas was drinking coffee as theylistened kindly to the singing of Sandra.

" _Greybeard Halt is a friend of mine_

 _He lives on_ _Redmont's_ _hill_

 _Greybeard Halt never took a bath_

 _And they say He never will!_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _Fare thee well, I say_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _I'll see you on your way_

 _Greybeard Halt, he lost a bet_

 _He lost his winter coat_

 _When winter comes, Halt stays warm_

 _By sleeping 'mongst the goats._

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _Fare thee well, I say_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _I'll see you on your way._

 _Greybeard Halt, he lives with goats_

 _That's what I've heard tell_

 _He hasn't changed his socks for years_

 _But the goats don't mind the smell!_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _Fare thee well, I say_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _I'll see you on your way_

 _Greybeard Halt is a fighting man_

 _I've heard common talk_

 _That Greybeard Halt, he cuts his hair_

 _With a carving knife and fork!_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _Fare thee well, I say_

 _Fare thee well, Greybeard Halt_

 _I'll see you on your way_ "

Sandra smiled as she watched Amber, Damon and Phileas lying, curled in their cloaks all sleeping as she finished her song. She chuckled lightly as she wrapped herself in her cloak and soon also fell asleep.


End file.
